Outcast Vol. 1: A Darkness Surrounds Him

Writer Kirkman proved his chops in the horror comics department with The Walking Dead, and he now turns his spotlight from ravenous revenants to demanding demons. Kyle Barnes%E2%80%99s life has been scarred by experiences with demonic possession and its attendant horrors, so he lives alone in squalor until pulled back into the exorcism fray by the Reverend Anderson. Kyle has a talent for driving malefic entities from their possessed hosts, so Anderson seeks to put that gift to use when a young boy is taken over by a demonic presence. But why is Kyle a magnet for the forces of darkness, and why are they making a concerted effort to relegate him to an existence of endless misery? This first volume sets up that mystery, with Azaceta%E2%80%99s sleek, shadow-drenched artwork lending the wrenching proceedings the perfect accent of moody realism. There%E2%80%99s great potential here and seeing it through to its conclusion looks to be one hell of a ride. (Feb.)